6.17.20 Adam News and Info
Jun 17, 2020 13:12:50 GMT -5
Post by DancyGeorgia on Jun 17, 2020 13:12:50 GMT -5
Stupid question, if Adam is singing live from home, how does he get so much reverb in the sound? It sounds like he's in a studio, so clear, and so pure. If he weren't looking at the girl on the guitar, I would swear I was listening to a recording.
And I love, love, love the acoustic version of On The Moon...so much better than on the album. That song is going to rock when he's live in concert.
It's all that expensive microphone and pro equipment he bought.
I was curious why he was singing off to the side versus straight on to the mic. He sometimes sang sideways to the mic, and I could hear the difference when he faced more towards the microphone.
My take on him singing off to the side is this was his way of controlling the volume to keep a consistent tone and volume, and not blow out the mic with distortion or pop the mic with his articulation. He normally does that by moving his mic rather than his head, but the mic here is stationary.
I think it also has to do with the type of microphone that Adam is using. First a little background.
There are different ways to classify a microphone, but generally they are classified by the type of mechanism that is used to "transduce" the sound waves into the electrical signal that gets input into the recording or broadcasting device. Each type of microphone has its unique sound and type of music for which it is best suited, although there is a lot of overlap. The 3 major classifications of microphone types (mostly quotes from references below):
1) Dynamic Mics - Better for more aggressive singers or genres like rock and metal. Best mics for on-stage work as they not as physically fragile as other microphone types.
2) Condenser Mics - Better for more controlled genres, like alternative and pop. The most popular type of microphone used in recording studios. Delivers a crisp reproduction of sound with lots of detail, although the higher frequencies sometime sound brittle and too electronically enhanced.
3) Ribbon Mics - Better for very “vibey” genres, like folk, jazz, or blues. They are best for a mellow and warm sound with a "vintage tone". Ribbon mics have a warmer and smoother sound than condenser mics. They are used if you want the music to sound classic, vintage, or extra warm. They are able to cut our harsh sounds. They record very clear high notes and accurate low tones better than other mic types. They bring a warmth to the mid frequencies and a softness to the highs that just can't be attained with other kinds of microphones. They can add more "color" to the recording, tame harsh sounds, and offer the highest fidelity available. Historically, Ribbon mics are more delicate and fragile, but more modern versions are less fragile.
From the type/mood of the song Adam is singing, and the vintage look of the microphone, my best bet is that Adam used a Ribbon Microphone for the "GRAMMY Museum 2020" and "Late Late Show" performances.
Also note that in the "One World: Together At Home" performance Adam was using a "pop" filter, the big black round thing in front of the white microphone. These are typically used with condenser mics because CONDENSER mics detect the PRESSURE of the air in a sound wave and are thus susceptible to "popping" distortions from sudden forceful bursts of air from the singer. And generally singers stand very close to condenser mics so popping can be a real issue and thus the addition of a pop filter. Also, in this performance, Adam used a 3 sided shield to reduce the amount of reverb from sound waves bouncing off the walls.
In contrast, RIBBON mics detect the VELOCITY of the air in a sound wave and are thus not as susceptible to popping. Ribbon mics are best used with the singer located at a further distance from the mic than what is generally done with condenser mics. This also allows the mic to better pick up the whole room sound and ambience, including the guitar. But Ribbon mics typically only pick up sounds from in front of and behind the mic with very little pickup from the side walls, floor, or ceiling. And with that glass bookcase behind Adam to block some of the sound waves bouncing off that wall, the reverb will be subtle and not distorted.
References:
The 3 Types of Microphone:
www.musicianonamission.com/types-of-microphones/
Five Reasons to Start Using Ribbon Microphones:
www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/pro-audio/tips-and-solutions/five-reasons-to-start-using-ribbon-microphones
See Ribbon VS Condenser Mic near end:
A Guide to Classic Studio Gear: Microphones
www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/pro-audio/buying-guide/a-guide-to-classic-studio-gear-microphones-volume-i
Wikipedia - for more technical details & history:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbon_microphone